Illinois Basketball: 5 thoughts from the Illini box score against the Catalonia All-Stars

5. That is where I want our free throw percentage

The game of basketball is pretty simple on paper. Score more points than the other team and you win. That is why it is so frustrating when your team gets to shoot uncontested free shots, called free throws, and we can’t make them at least three out of four times.

Did you know, last season there were 363 DI basketball teams who suited up and competed to win a national title? Out of those 363 teams, Illinois ranked No. 309 in free throw shooting. That is right, we weren’t just bad from the charity stripe, we were one of the worst teams in all of college basketball.

Illinois would end up making just 67.9% of the free throws they attempted last season. If we wanted to win more games, that number would have to increase greatly in 2023-24.

Against Valencia, the free throw number was once again terrible. Illinois was 15-of-27 from the charity stripe, which comes out to a whopping 55.5%. That is incredibly bad. There was finally some improvement and clarity against the Catalonia All-Stars, though.

Led by Justin Harmon, who would go 3-of-3 from the free throw line, Illinois would hit 14-of-19 in the victory. That is 73.7%. The main bad free throw culprits were our big men, Dain Dainja and Amani Hansberry, who combined to go 2-of-6 on the day.

Overall, Illinois shot much better from the free throw line against Catalonia. This is a nice sight to see. Making free throws makes the game much easier. Let’s keep that number in the 70 percentile this season.